Health
Maybe you don't have any wonder.
Memory
is crucial to every aspect of our lives, but all of us experience times
when memory fails us, often embarrassingly. And some people claim they
can never remember a name or a face.
Although researchers are
gaining knowledge of the psychological and physiological bases of
memory formation and retrieval its really only beginning to be
understood. Still, scientists are discovering fascinating information
that can help all of us remember better. For example, wonder.
Common
sense tells us we remember best what were interested in. Junior might
draw a blank with French verbs but remember every big-league pitcher of
the past twenty years. Now research is confirming the power of
curiosity. In several studies where subjects were shown faces and asked
to frame questions Would I buy a used car from this man? Is she an
actress? Is that person shy? they remembered faces better later than
when they used standard memory techniques such as noting a persons hair
color or head shape.
The opposite side of the coin is stress.
Just as children often don't learn well when they're frightened,
habitually stressed people can be too distracted to form clear
impressions in the same way. Its hard when under stress, to get in
touch with the deep parts of the brain where memory is stored, which is
why relaxation techniques such as meditation and hypnosis are great
aids to memory.
When youre nervous and upset, the last thing you want to hear is
someone telling you to relax. However, you can learn techniques that
will improve your memory. Some are used by those memory entertainers
who show off their fantastic feats of memory.
- When meeting a stranger, in addition to noting facial features and asking yourself questions such as whether you'd buy a used car form that person, make name-picture associations. If you meet a man named Green, try to visualize his face as green. If its a harder name, ask for the spelling and see the letters in your mind. Repeat the name in conversation (with the images in your head), and especially as you say good-bye.
- If you have a number of errands to run, rehearse the sequence of them mentally. See yourself getting into the car, stopping at the bank, etc. That way, even if you forget to take your list, you may not forget whats on it. And make your lists in categories of things or events; no more than seven categories or seven items per category. Seven is what psychologists say is the maximum cluster we can retain.
- Create your own mnemonic devices (from Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory). They can be rhymes (Thirty days has September; sentences from initials, Every good boy does fine; the EDGDF treble notes of the G clef taught musical students; or pun associations we spring forward or fall back when setting clocks for standard or daylight-saving time).
- If you're memorizing a speech, do it in the evening. Its been found that long-term memory works better as the day goes on, and sleep will block interference from other memories. In addition, study your speech in time chunks of twenty minutes, if possible, or no more than two hours, if you're really pressed, before stopping to refresh, rest, and review.
Brains, like bodies, need exercise. Memory may slow up a bit with
age doesnt everything? But unless youve been diagnosed with clinical
dementia (a rare condition) or Alzheimers it is not lost.
There
is a new body of research that suggests that certain foods rich in the
chemical choline, such as eggs, soybeans, and liver, may help the brain
chemistry of memory. Whether or not this is so, there is no question
that proper diet and exercise are essential to all good brain and body
functions.
You can remember that!
Robin Westen writes about health for national magazines.
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